Members Carey "Buddy" Hebert, Durwin Jackson and John Navy were absent.

Member Budd Cloutier voted against, saying in an interview afterward that does not believe, "in principle, that the whole project is a well-thought out, well-planned project."

For instance, the development could have fewer lots and fewer businesses, resulting in less traffic and more green space, Cloutier said.

The developers, Brett Rutledge and Dr. Brett Casey, said they asked for the two lots to be separate from the rest of the development because he wants to sell the one that has a car wash on it.

The separate two lots that were approved face Savanne Road. The other lots are behind these and run along the property line of Bellingrath Drive residents.

If approved, the back of the development would have a medical-oriented spa for women, a Flanaganís restaurant, a neighborhood oil-change shop, an accounting office, two doctorsí offices and other businesses, Rutledge said after the meeting.

The commission agreed to subdivide the two lots as long as the other lot on Savanne Road would be classified as raw land. Raw land cannot be developed or built on unless the owner comes back to the commission for permission.

The commissionís votes were seen as a small victory for the contingency residents at the Planning Commission meeting, said Ronnie Eschete, a former Terrebonne Parish councilman and Bellingrath Drive resident.

"I think we won tonight," Eschete said to his neighbors.

More than 20 residents signed a petition against the proposed development, saying its entrance on Savanne Road is too close to La. 311 and will cause traffic problems. The developmentís entrance would be between South Louisiana Bankís driveway on Savanne Road and the car wash.

In response to the traffic concerns, the Planning Commission informally asked the developers to submit a traffic study analyzing the entrance and possible alternatives by the January meeting.

Some of the residents asked that the entrance run through land next to the commercial development thatís on La. 311.

Rutledge, who owns a mobile-home-sales company on that property, said he doesnít plan to disturb his business by running a road through it.

Earlier in Thursdayís meeting, the residents also asked the Zoning Commission, which is comprised of Planning Commission members, to consider rezoning the proposed Captainís Court property.

Zoning laws outline how individual pieces of property can be developed, such as different types of commercial, residential and industrial use.

By making the subdivision a certain type of commercial use, called C-6, the use is more restrictive, Eschete said after the meeting.

For instance, the building faces have to be uniform, like on St. Charles Street, and there has to be a privacy fence along the property, he said. Businesses also have to close by 7 p.m., the signs are regulated, and no restaurants can be built.

The proposed Captainís Court property is currently zoned as C-6 in some areas and C-3 and C-4 in the rest. These other commercial zones are less restrictive. For instance, C-3 and C-4 zoning can have a sports bar and restaurant, which is not allowed under the C-6 designation. Parking lots also do not have to be paved under C-3 and C-4 zoning.

The residents asked the Terrebonne Parish Council to start the application process in November, and the council agreed to propose the rezoning.

The parishís zoning law allows applications to start by a propertyís owner, the Parish Council and the Zoning Commission.

The application to rezone the property will be discussed during a Zoning Commission public hearing scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 17.

Casey said he doesnít plan to build poor-quality businesses and he doesnít want the property zoning changed. He questioned why the residents did not raise concerns about the zoning before it was proposed for development.

The neighbors all believed the entire tract now proposed for Captainís Court was classified as the restrictive C-6, Eschete said after the meeting.

Changing the zoning is a way for the residents to protect themselves, he said.

"Iíve become an avid believer in zoning," Eschete said. "After everybodyís gone, itís these residents, when the dust settles, weíre the ones thatís going to be there. And the thing thatís going to protect us is zoning."